:

THE NATURAL j HISTORY MUSEUM

11 AUG 2005 |

generaTi'Srajry 1

flu®

NATTEL rJACK

90 Website www.nnns.org.uk Number August 2005

Toad-in-the-hole.... Just the thing for the young’uns Contents,

My thanks for all the contributions Toad-in-the-hole. during those long days of the Research Committeer and my apologies if your article is Young Norfolk Nature Writer not in this issue as unfortunately we summer holidays! of the Year Competition 2005. have had to bid farewell to no fewer Invertebrates of maritime soft than four prominent members of Young Norfolk Nature Writer of rock cliffs. the Society. Have a good summer Observations of nectaring the Year Competition 2005 on Alexanders. and send in your observations, KS«> pp Not only moths come to light Closing date: September 30 th A day with the owls RESEARCH COMMITTEE (Barn Owls). page 4 Paston Great Barn - The Research are Could you see yourself as a nature writer? Do you Committee Background and barbastrelle take an interest in what you see in the Norfolk currently carrying out two surveys bat update. countryside? keep a record of the birds and The maddest March hare which it is hoped will lead to man- Do you story ever? plans, butterflies that come into your garden? Do you take agement and a dissemin- A trap by any other name ation of results in future issues of a close look at what goes on in your school or (Snails). pages Transactions and further records village pond? Rusty Groundsel are invited visitors from to either (An appeal for records). site to be incorporated in our If so, why not have a go at writing a short article or Exchange Journals (NNNS library - Norwich results. producing an illustrated diary about any aspect of Castle Museum). nature in Norfolk. Royal Norfolk Show, Hapton Common is an important page* in site the Tas valley. It is served ExcursionReports: will by a public footpath and in any You could win a £50 prize and a trophy. Entries Gittin & Stubbin s Wood, page 7 case, is open access. The owner be judged in two categories: Up to 11 years and 11- Warren Farm- is anxious to have a 15 years. Entries must be no longer than 800 words. management ( Waxham & Horsey Dunes). plan for the site, which lies beside the minor road towards Hapton The prizes and trophies are being generously Great Hockham. page* from the B1113 about half a mile donated by Mrs Sylvia Seago in memory of her late Obituaries: from Rattees corner. There is a husband Michael who devoted 60 years to studying George Garrard. Dr. Robert Jones. small car park at the entrance, and writing birds about Norfolk’s and other wildlife. page I* which is clearly signed. Dr. Geoffrey Watts. Entries should be submitted by: Dr. Joyce Lambert. Catfield Hall Fen is being th September 30 , 2005, resurveyed, (last done in 2000) to the following address: following some changes in man- agement. The owners welcome Young Norfolk Nature Writer Year, genuine naturalists with the of the proviso that they would like a Norfolk Wildlife Trust, ‘phone call first so that they know Bewick House, who is on site. For the telephone 22 Thorpe Road, number, please contact Alec Bull Norwich NR1 1RY. on 01603-880278. Records may be sent either to Alec, or our sec- If you have any questions, please telephone - retary, Janet Negal. Details for 01603 625540. both are on the current programme. © Norfoik & Norwich Naturaists' Society Invertebrates of maritime soft rock cliffs Observations of nectaring insects on Alexanders Coastal soft rock cliffs are a much neglected habitat that provides the ideal habitat conditions for many rare insects, spiders and other invertebrates. Many of these are only found on soft rock cliffs in the UK and so I am employed as a gardener at the protection and sensitive management of these areas is vital to their Hopton Holiday Village four miles survival. Information on these habitats is limited; however, the current south of Great Yarmouth. The Park available data would suggest that the soft rock cliffs of the UK are some of won the David Bellamy Gold Award the most important in . for conservation in 2004 and this

year I have been tasked with record- Local importance ing the wildlife on the site and pro- With an estimated 12.7km of soft cliffs Norfolk has a significant proportion ducing a report at the end ofthe year. of the UK resource. The importance of local soft cliffs for invertebrates has been recognised through the notification of SSSIs at Overstrand and Warren Road is situated to the north Sidestrand-Trimmingham, noting outstanding invertebrate assemblages at of Hopton Holiday Village and the sites. Sites which experience very rapid rates of erosion or which are passes through Gorleston Golf inherently unstable are often of more limited invertebrate interest, as they Course onto Links Road in the town. lack the continuity and range of required microhabitats. Nevertheless, some (TG530010) At the point where the species are restricted to such sites, Norfolk specialities being the rove cottages are situated it becomes

Blediusfilipes and the livida (also found on the York- Warren Lane and it is here that many shire coast), both of which are found at the base of cliffs. observations have been made during my lunch hour. The lane has a Haw- What are Buglife doing? thorn Crateagus monogyna hedge- Buglife have been awarded funding by the Esmee Fairbum Foundation for a row along it’s boundaries and there three year project to study and promote the invertebrate biodiversity of soft is an over abundance ofAlexanaders rock cliffs in die UK. Smynium olustratum. This plant has been in flower since the 18 th March th The project aims to: and all blooms were out on the 14 * Increase our knowledge of soft rock cliffs and the invertebrates that April. On this day there were liter- inhabit them. ally hundreds of Drone Erista- * Identify the most important areas of soft rock cliff in the UK for lis tenax nectaring on the blooms. biodiversity. * Ensure that these species and habitats are protected for the future.

The information produced by this project will provide an essential resource for the future sustainable management of soft rock cliffs and dieir immediate surroundings in the UK.

A request The early stages of this project are concerned with the collation of existing th data. If you have any records of invertebrates from Norfolk’s soft rock On the sunny day of the 16 April I cliffs, or any information on the past management of the cliff slopes and observed a Comma Polygonum cliff tops then please contact me. Also, if you are interested in collecting c-album, a queen wasp Vespula new records during die 2005 field season then I would be very interested to vulgaris, Several Yellow Dung Flies hear from you. Scathophaga stercoraria nectaring from this crop. There was nothing Please visit our website www.buglife.org.uk for more information. else in flower along this lane except for Blackthorn Prunus spinosa. Nothing was nectaring from this and I assume the strong scent of the Alexanders was masking this. I am sure that all the species mentioned The Invertebrate Conservation Trust nectar from Alexanders and would 170A Park Road be pleased to hear from anyone who Peterborough has recorded any other insects on PEI 2UF this pernicious weed. Telephone: 01733 201210 Colin A. Jacobs Not Only Moths Come To Light (41

little March saw very activity in the moth traps, either j spread. Yet again a cooler period for the first part ofMay moths or anything else, until the last week in the month th meant that it was not until the 19 that I saw the soldier and then very little other than moths. Buiying and beetle, nigricans which has black elytra that in particular Nicrophorus humator, were much in evidence I are heavily clothed with a grey pubescence giving them a for several days after the 25 th March and several green superficial grey appearance and a week later saw the first of lacewings Chrysopa cornea agg. which had overwintered I several of the orange/yellow , Cantharis rufa successfully, started to arrive from the 22nd onwards but then j which does not have the same covering. In the same it was the doldrums again until nearly the end of April with I rd just a single 2-spot ladybird on the 25h ofMarch. week, on the 23 May, cockchafers, Melalontha melalontha, started to appear in the traps and still do in the

Between the 28 th April and the 3 rd of May there were middle of June. The water beetle IlybiusJuliginosus on the j th numerous St. Mark's Flies, Bibio marci, in the traps but as 25 May with the large caddis Phryganea grandis and the j th soon as the night time temperatures dropped little they 14-spot ladybird, Calvia 14-guttata on the 27 were all of a j th first in disappeared. On the 29 April I was perplexed a small note until the cold snap during the week June meant by j virtually again. winged that was like no moth I recognised. It was nothing j only when I looked at it in light good and with a decent j the nights start to a little warmer it will pair ofglasses (then with a microscope) that I realised it was As now become j be few days 'lag' before moths and other insects 'catch up' a moth-fly. The Psychodidae are small flies thickly clothed j hairs so hopefully the next two or three months will be more with and scales (hence the common name) and this one j interesting. was the cosmopolitan Psychoda altemata. With larvae feed- I ing in decaying organic matter it is common and wide- Mike Hall

A Day with the Owls into a belt of conifers. We had a We went onto Buckenham where we good view as she jinked between the had two sites to look at, the first had trees, in residence. One beautiful May morning a friend, then a sparrow-hawk, probably a ofjackdaws visiting us for the day, and myself with a nest in the wood, saw her and The youngsters were just getting through, decided to check some of the nest gave her a hard couple of minutes as their feathers coming they in tree. last prizes in a boxes along the Yare valley. These the owl perched a The certainly wouldn’t win large boxes have been put up mainly two boxes were both empty, just a beauty competition, all scrawny and for the use of bam owls, but other few pellets showing that owls were pink, quite ugly. The second box adult species use them as well. This short using them now and again. looked more promising as two left the and flew resume tells of what we found. bam owls box down towards trees on the edge of the fen. that lad- The first farm at Postwick has five Unfortunately we found our too short to look in, boxes, the first erected (1999) has der was have a now been in use for four years and but I would think it was being used sixteen young bam owls have flown for nesting. from it. But this time it was empty, the owls had moved three hundred Two more sites were visited totaling yards to a box set up in some old four boxes, no more were found stables. There we found two young- occupied but it had been an interest- sters alive and well also one dead ing day. It does help to have a pair and partially eaten chick and two of binoculars with you, as a close infertile eggs. We disposed of the scan of the entrance hole can often dead youngster and the eggs. Last give clues as to whether the box is year this box had been home to a being used. All boxes when made family of stock doves. are treated with a wood preservative, brownish green in colour. When

The third box to be looked at was there are owls in residence a pale about half a mile away along the line is quite discernible just below valley, this also had young bam the entrance hole where the claws owls, all healthy and well. The hen mark the wood, also lack of spider bird had flown from the box as we webs and general debris give the neared the oak in which it was game away. placed, she went less than fifty yards Tony Howes Paston Great Barn - Background and barbastelle bat update.

Dating from 1581, Paston Great Bam is of exceptional cultural, biological and architectural importance. As well as being an outstanding example of one of the few remaining Great Bams in the region, the bam also supports nationally and internation- ally important populations of bats. The site is owned by the North Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust and managed by English Nature for its wildlife.

Paston Great Bam provides a home for a range of wildlife, including one of the UK’s rarest mammals, the barbastelle bat. The barbastelle is a rare and threatened species throughout its range in Europe and Paston Great Bam supports one of the few known maternity roosts in the UK. Barbaselle bats were first discovered at Paston in August 1996 by the Norfolk Bat Group as part of an ongoing programme of identifying summer and winter bat sites in the county. The discovery of the barbastelle bat colony at Paston Great Bam presented a unique opportunity to discover more about the requirements of this elusive species and in 1999 English Nature commissioned the Bat Conservation Trust to carry out research and monitoring work on the colony. This work has since continued annually and has provided a wealth of information about roost sites within the bam, the size and behaviour of the colony and their foraging activity in the surrounding area.

Monitoring work has also illustrated the importance of the countryside surrounding the bam and radio-tagging studies have shown the barbastelles to feed along Bacton cliffs and even along the strandline on the beach!

In total, seven species of bat have been discovered using the site: soprano pipistrelle, common pipistrelle, Nathusius’ pipis- trelle, brown long-eared, noctule, Natterer’s and barbastelle bat. Some species, such as the Natterer’s bat typically utilise a range of roost sites throughout the breeding season. Large bams with a variety of suitable roost locations can therefore provide important breeding sites for these species. The most recent species of bat discovered using Paston Great Bam is Nathusius’ pipistrelle - a rare species in the UK with just a handful of known breeding localities.

The current monitoring programme at Paston aims to provide the following information:

* Counts of adults and young throughout the breeding season

* Dates and duration of site occupation * Roost locations in the bam throughout the year * Impact of temperatures/humidity levels on bats inside the bam.

The Bat Conservation Trust lias recently produced its second annual monitoring report, covering the period Februaiy 2004 to February 2005, entitled ‘A behavioural study of barbastelle bats (Barbastella barbastellus) at Paston Great Barn ’. The results presented in this report show that, despite population numbers in the barbastelle breeding colony been slightly lower than in 2003, they were still higher than during the previous four years. The maximum pre-parturition count was 35 in 2004 (compared to 36 in 2003), whereas the maximum post-parturition count (adults and young) was 50 in 2004 (compared to 55 in 2003). The continued success of this colony is testimony to the careful planning and execution of the repair works which are required to ensure the bam continues to provide suitable conditions for bats into the future.

If you would like to obtain a copy of this report or w ould like to more about Paston Great Bam, please contact me at: English Nature Offices, The Smithy Workshops, Wolferton, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. PE31 6HA or telephone 01485 543044.

Ash Murray-Site Manager, English Nature

'fhe Ttech Jfee Uoty A Trap ByAny OtherName it was eight o'clock on a March morning when my breakfast During the spring this year my wife was having problems with coffee was interrupted by a loud crash on the cottage roof and mice, or a mouse, eating off seedlings in the greenhouse and the sight the of a furry brown body hurtling past the window. 1 offending rodent seemed oblivious to the live traps set all around. rushed to look out and to my astonishment saw a hare tenta- As a final measure she brought in a snap trap - The Better tively shake each leg, then its head, before it ambled slowly Mousetrap’ - and baited it with peanut butter. away across the garden.

The next day the mouse was caught, unfortunately a wood What could be the explanation of this hare-raising leap from mouse, and the trap re-set. A couple of days later a mature space? 1 can think of only one. Saxlmgham, near Blakeney, is garden snail was firmly imprisoned but undamaged in the trap. surrounded by arable farmland where buzzards have become Subsequently three more snails were similarly caught, all initially increasingly common in the last few years. Perhaps one unharmed, and in. all cases gardening instincts overcame natural over-estimated its ability to lift the hare, failed to maintain its history ideals with the snails being released and then stood on - but grip let and go immediately above my pantiles? 1 am delighted they were left out for birds who subsequently ate them. The moral that it survived and will always remember the hare that paid me from this tale is that snails go well with peanut butter - perhaps In a flying visit more ways than one* June Hulbert Mike Hall

4 \%f Rusty Groundsel Royal Norfolk Show June 29th/30th 2005 To the Botanist and the non - botanist the common weed of gardens and disturbed ground. Groundsel Senecio vulgaris agg., is never worth a second This was our fourth appearance at glance. closer look on the other hand may find you looking at the Rust A the show, and what a success it is said to have Puccinia lagenophorae Cooke. This modem mst fungus was, being runner up, in the ‘Best come from Australia and was first recorded in the UK in 1961. AtHopton Rural Educational Stand’ section, for Holiday Village where I am gardener, this rust has decimated one stretch of which we were awarded a certificate pathway and all plants of the Groundsel are severely affected. Other plants and £200. on the site are unaffected. On looking though a binocular microscope the down to the fruiting bodies are very beautiful indeed. They have orange circular discs The success was spiders! This was our main theme with a buff edging and are uniform in size. In some cases the whole stem this year, along with the photo- may be affected or just the leaves. In Darlington (1968) an illustration of graphic gallery and the 'Notable Coleosprium senecionus looks to be very similar at this stage to P. Lageno- Trees of Norwich’ display. phorae. The ‘Spiders of Norfolk’, with live In the British Mycological Society database there are two records for East specimens proved very successful Suffolk. It is also recorded in Fungi and Slime Moulds in Suffolk with the children and adults alike. Thanks must go to Peter Nicholson all the I have also recently found the Daisy Beilis perennis rust Puccinia distincta and Robert Maidstone for hard work involved in putting it to- McAlpine on site, which is my only Suffolk record although for recording gether. The photographs, text and purposes can be counted for Norfolk. My other Norfolk record comes from specimens from Peter were superb. Wacton near Long Stratton. This mst can decimate the daisy population, The star of the show, however, was and according to your point of view is either a good or bad sign. This the Cave Spider (Meta menardi) first recorded in 1997 after occurring on cultivated forms for species was collected and shown in an original many years. Yellowing leaves with wavy edges and raised areas are drainpipe by Robert. To view the diagnostic; the plants are normally more erect than usual. spider the drain cover had to be lifted - a test not for the faint-hearted! Please look out for either of these rusts. I would welcome any material for examination especially the Daisy Rust. These can be sent in empty film Brian McFarlane’s photographs, particularly his sequence of Barn canisters with a note of how many plants are affected and the site / soil Owl and Kestrel clashing in a mid-air details, with the normal six figure grid reference to 22 Oxford Road, tussle over a food catch, was Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1TW. stunning and caused much interest. Colin A. Jacobs References: Rex Haney’s display of collected Redfem M. Shirley P, Aidgap British Plant Galls Field Studies Council leaves and wood cross-sections Darlington A (1968) The Pocket Encyclopedia of Plant Galls Blandford Press London. various tree species for people Ellis M.B. & Ellis JP (1985) Micro Fungi on Land Plants Croom Helm. from interest. Wurzell B. BSBI News no 80 Jan 1999 p. 20 Common Daises under threat. to identify also found much This was the backdrop for Rex’s Acknowledgements: book, 'Notable Trees of Norwich’, Mrs J.P. Ellis for confirming the rusts and proof reading the article. just published by the Society in time Mr. R. Maidstone for an update on the status of the Daisy rust at Wacton in Norfolk for the Show. A good number were sold to the public, which were signed Exchange Journals by the author. t. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History (from the British

: also to those : Entomological and Natural History Society) Thanks must go who helped on the stand over the two 2. Systematics and Biodiversity (from the Natural History Museum) days. The question is, since we have 3. Essex Naturalist (from the Essex Field Club) set such a very high standard can 4. Suffolk Natural History (from Suffolk Naturalists Society) we better this in 2006? 5. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

6. Transactions of the Natural History Society of Northumbria w mm* w.mi'mnm'immmkm.nmnmumvmiimnmn'm'n.mimimnmnm* mmmtmn mm

As always, copies of these and other journals to which the Museum and Museum

staff subscribe are available to Society members when visiting the Shirehall. Please

note an members can consult the books within the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists'

Society library by appointment Please give me a call on 01603 493636. Tony Irwin - Curator of Natural History Norwich Castle Museum 5 w *&? mjWi r&viz m 0 §55t Reports

'peaXmuu^:

tfittU & Sta&Cia '4 TVW

TUrvinm *?m*k : 'WaxkxiH

atuC 'Z/oKiet} “Vum4 • 2005-06 Field Meeting location John Innes Centre W Indoor meetings 56789012345

Gittin & Stubbin’s distinct and crown low hills because lost in winter. The leaves of the one the flat hilltops were too wet to be other native species of lungwort Woods economically cleared for agriculture ( Pulmonaria longifolia) are normall whereas the hillsides could more white-spotted and this plant is in any easily be drained and eventually case native only to a small coasta Sunday 10th April 2005 used for arable. Even the recorded area of central southern England. ownership of the woods stretches But unfortunately, the leaves of intro- A party of 20 or so members and back all of 1000 years. duced species and of selections and others gathered in a layby on the hybrids which have long grown in and A143 between Wortham and Botes- We first visited Gittin Wood, contain- escaped from gardens in our region, dale on a pleasant April morning prior ing much ash, field maple and hazel, though usually strongly white-spotted to moving off to see the rare unspot- and an impressively rich ground flora, are not invariably so - and Suffolk ted or Suffolk lungwort. Such is the not only in terms of number of lungwort itself can occasionally show allure to botanists of this nationally- species present, which include most faint pale-green spotting! rare ‘red data’ woodland perennial of the ‘usual’ plants of the woodland herb of poorly drained, fertile soils, floor that one can think of - wood Martin pointed out that unspotted that one of the party had driven south anemone, bugle, wood dog-violet, lungwort is now presumed to be from Yorkshire for the day to see it. sanicle, bluebell, herb bennet, mos- native at its Suffolk stations because Pulmonaria obscura is thought to chatel, ransoms, yellow archangel it has been rarely cultivated in Britain, grow wild in Britain currently at only etc., but also considerable spreads of it grows in semi-natural ancient three clustered Suffolk sites, namely some of these and, amazingly, of woodland rather than being restricted Burgate, Gittin (‘Gittin’s’ to the locals) herb paris and purple-spotted orchid. to thoroughgoing man-made habi- and Stubbing’s Woods. Access to Also present much less densely was tats, and it is recognised as native in these privately-owned ancient woods twayblade, but this wood is unfortu- neighbouring countries in compar- on the boulder clay, devoted now nately not in the Suffolk oxlip belt. able habitat-types and plant com- mainly to shooting, is very rarely Bee-flies were observed making the munities (albeit no nearer than permitted - apart from guided-tours most of this floral variety, and the 400km away in the Belgian on an open day on or about May Day, birders in the party were pleased to Ardennes!). It’s true that it was not by which time other plants in flower hear a lesser-spotted woodpecker. first recorded at a really early date perhaps outshine the lungwort - so here (1842), but then it is rare and special thanks are due to Mr. D. We had entered Gittin from the south easily overlooked. In Gitting, the Laughlan for kindly allowing us to visit by way of its central ride, whereupon argument for its being native seemed and explore freely the two latter of occasional plants of unspotted lung- persuasive to a number of members, these ancient woods of the Suffolk wort were immediately apparent at for though clumps grow near boulder clay. many the wood edge with the flowers at the principal rides, they are well dis- different stages of maturity, thus tributed along them, and some plants We were fortunate to have for our ranging in colour from some pinkish can be found deep in the woodland leader Martin Sanford, the BSBI Suf- to mostly bluish-violet shades. folk Plant Recorder, who has studied interior. Like primroses, lungwort Though the Lungwort has been and written about the lungwort. In flowers are heterostylous, their styles known to grow in these woods for at addition, David Orr, a local resident being either thrum- or pin-eyed to least 165 years, its identity was firmly but long-time member of the Society promote cross-pollination, and pro- determined rather more recently, despite living in ‘foreign parts’ south duction of seedlings is good. In especially once chromosome counts of the Waveney, was on hand to Stubbin’s (which we visited in the could be made. Most of us have to be enrich the visit with his detailed local afternoon after lunch back at the content to differentiate Suffolk Lung- knowledge, current and historical. cars), the lungwort is much more wort principally by its unspotted, The woods, though once long ago localised, growing mainly in a large rather dark-green leaves, which are essentially a single complex, are now and luxuriant patch in the sunny and grassy rectangular clearing that the Society, which brought our clumps of grey lichen, which Pat

almost splits the wood into east and number to 13. It was immediately Negal pointed out and identified as west parts. The woodland ground obvious just how widespread and Cladonia rangiformis. Mixed with the flora generally was much less rich in prolific were the plants of Heath Dog grasses were plants of Hawkweed, Stubbin’s (a wetter wood than Gittin) Violet, Viola canina ssp. canina, Hieracium umbellatum, with upstand- with plentiful perennial mercury, but which was one of the species we had ing old stems and Robert Maidstone the expanse of primroses which come to see. The brilliantly blue pointed out galls on these stems, thickly carpeted this wide centra flowers were outstanding but the which had been triggered by the gall clearing was magnificent - surely leaves were more difficult to see and wasp Aulacidea hieracii. Four there can be no greater profusion in some cases seemed non-existent. Mouse-ears were found within the anywhere in the county. The wood However, damaged leaves were dunes; Sea Mouse-ear Cerastium itself is notable for its hornbeam. noted and both Mary Ghullam and diffusum, Little Mouse-ear C. semi- Hattie Aldridge found leaves that decandrum, Sticky Mouse-ear C. For Martin Sanford’s full account showed the distinctive damage glomeratum and Common Mouse- (with CR Birkinshaw) of Suffolk caused by the caterpillars of the Dark ear C. fontanum. On the Common lungwort,, BSBI members can con- Green Fritillary butterfly, with either Mouse-ear Robert spotted galled sult Watsonia, volume 21 part 2 just the mid-rib left or the petiole with- leaves caused by the aphid Brachy- (September 1996), pp. 169-1 78. out any blade at all. Many leaves colus cerastii. The larvae of the fly Many thanks to Mike Hall for secur- were untouched which is supposed horticola had also mined ing access to the Woods, organising to indicate a sparse population of the some of the leaves. the visit, and taking bookings. larvae but a little later in the morning Stephen Martin Francis Farrow found a well grown The particularly small vetch with

caterpillar sunning itself but not on a bright pink/purple flowers which it Warren Farm: violet leaf. This definitely proved the was thought might be Spring Vetch Waxham - Horsey Dunes presence of the butterfly in this part of Vida lathyroides (described as hav- the east coast dune system and was ing dull purple flowers) on closer the second of the species we had inspection later was found to be a Sunday, 15th May, 2005 hoped to see. subspecies of the Common Vetch Vida sativa ssp. nigra which is also It was a little after 1 1.00am that the known from maritime sand habitats. group, who had gathered at the barrier on the roadway to the farm, Almost everywhere we walked we set off towards the dunes. Almost disturbed a small, drab moth Glyph- immediately Marilyn Abdullah com- ipterix fuscoviridella whose larvae mented on the songs of Whitethroat, feed in the rootstock of Field Wood- Willow Warbler and Stonechat com- rush Luzula campestris, which is ing from the scrubby woodland to the When Margaret How pointed out an widespread throughout the area. As north of the road and at the same old nest with 14 pheasant eggshells the Clustered Heath Wood-rush time Janet Negal pointed out a this was thought to be a possible Luzula multiflora ssp. congesta was Marsh Harrier above the grazing reason for the local sparseness of the unusually common this may well also marshes to the south. This was a caterpillars as they were likely to be the larval foodplant. Robert found good start to the day, which was have been food for the chicks. the day flying long-homed moth bettered almost as soon as we got Adela reaumurella and the distinctive on to the dunes. Whilst still on the We were also hoping to determine Lime-speck Pug, Eupitheda centau- path into the dunes Bob Leaney the distribution in these dunes of reata, with the tortrix Cydia suc- pointed out what he thought would Grey Hair Grass, Corynephorus cedana being seen around the be the plant of the day - Dune canescens, another nationally scarce Gorse. Several members of the Fescue, Vulpia fasciculata - which species known to the south of Horsey group spotted both Small Copper and was in some profusion for several Gap. It was found to be widespread Speckled Wood butterflies and yards where the sand was some- and Laurie Hall pointed out three among other insects seen the what compacted. This is only the dune hollows where it was particu- Slender Ground Hopper, Tetrixsubu- third Norfolk record for this nationally larly prolific, being the dominant lata, the sand weevil Philopedon scarce species, having been pre- species over several dozen square plagiatus and the largish ant Formica viously recorded from Holme and yards in each case. Early Hair Grass, fusca were all found on bare sand. In Yarmouth North Denes. We then Airia praecox was also noted within the debris at the base of the vegeta- divided into two groups, one going to the dunes as were Lesser Chick- tion Robert found some small snails the north towards Poplar Farm with weed, Stellaria pallida, Sea Bind- which “smelt a little of garlic Bob Leaney and Mary Ghullam and when weed, Convolvulus soldanella and rubbed" and were species of Oxy- the other to the south towards Prickly Lettuce, Lactuca serriola, chilus probably O. helveticus. Horsey Gap with Laurie Hall and A (common along the Janet Negal. dunes on the caterpillar of the Oak Eggar Moth was north Norfolk coast) which was noted by Nick Elsley, that of the recorded from the east coast dunes Smoky Wainscot seen low in the Soon after moving into the dunes we was for the first time. Scattered through- grasses and leaf mines of the micro- were joined by two more members of out the various dune grasses were fzL W moth Stigmella aurella were spotted Great Hockham the one usually found, but is not is in several bramble leaves. planted. The White Poplar also not planted, as it grows poorly in Breck- Sunday 12th June, 2005 An area with oaks (some of which land conditions. The number of other were well infested with oak marble tree and shrub species seen on our A small party met on a rather chilly galls), sallows and some gorse at walk was surprisingly high and morning after rain at Hockham the back of the dunes, towards included Bird Cherry, Sweet Chest- Picnic Place off the A1075 road, to Horsey Gap, was where we saw the nut, Purging Buckthorn, Wych and explore the adjacent forest. We were Large Red Damselfly, the Hairy hybrid Elm, Goat Willow, Wild greeted by the sounds of a ‘rave’ Aeshna Dagonfly; a couple of Cherry, Holly, Ash, Elder, Blackthorn, deep in the woods to one side and weevils, Phyllobius argentatus and Hawthorn, Gorse and Privet. Partic- sports to another, but, motorcycle tree P. pyri, one with a green and the ularly fine this year on many a infinitely more pleasingly, by our other with a bronze sheen; the gorse at the margins or in open woodland leader for the day, Eric Rogers, who shield-bug Piezodorus lituratus and were towering columns of Honey- had thoughtfully gathered a selection the green shield-bug Palomena suckle in full bloom. White Admirals of leafy twigs from some of the trees prasina. Almost as soon as the call are apparently seen thereabouts, but that we would see on our walk, which of the Whimbrel was heard Nick the few, brief sunny intervals were us beforehand to aid he showed did, Elsey pointed out a flight of eight too wan to tempt them out. We identification. with another group of four seen a however, see one or two other butter-

little later (possibly four of the first flies, including a Speckled Wood. As a retired forester, responsible for eight). Eric pointed out a good number of the planting of some of the stands we trees damaged either by or saw, Eric was able to add interesting Near the Poplar Farm camp site at fungal disease, including sycamores information on the history of the the back of the dunes was a damp ring-barked spectacularly toward the forest and the nature of the trees area where Bob and Mary found the top by Grey Squirrels for their sap. from a timber-producing as well as a very rare Divided Sedge, Carex Good sycamore timber now fetches purely botanical point of view. Of the divisa which is more usually found in more than oak. conifers, the Scots Pine was origi- esturine marshes. This was the first nally the preferred species but has coastal record for East Norfolk. Not only the trees provided interest. been greatly supplanted by Corsican Blinks Montia fontana was abundant The Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Pine since forms of the latter yielding at this site and Marsh Foxtail Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap, much better timber became available Alopecurus geniculatus was also Wren, Tree Pipit and Pheasant were later in the twentieth century. Also well represented here. Close by the all heard and some seen, and a occasionally present is Western Red dyke Rubyna Sheikh commented on Sparrow Hawk hung in the sky above Cedar and some Lawson’s Cypress, the large number of froglets - almost our pleasant lunchtime picnic site. though Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, underfoot. We saw a Common We were pleased to see bright red with its striking red pollen, is not a Lizard scurrying away from our foot- plants of nationally-scarce Mossy good grower here, finding conditions fall; the evidence of both hare and Stone- crop fairly plentifully along too dry. There is very little Noble Fir rabbit with their droppings among one track (surely now locally com- in the forest, but rather more Silver the dunes together with a couple j mon on suitably dry, sandy, gravelly Fir, from which the Canada comes j of rabbit burrows and a Muntjac, Breckland forest tracks which are Balsam used in preparing micro- seen by Francis nearthe coast road. j well-trodden and often driven over). scope slides. Of the deciduous trees, j We were also lucky to have Robert

the Silver or Warty Birch ( Betula j Having had a really rewarding day in Maidstone and Stephen Livermore pendula) is the one preferring the glorious sunshine, which was nicely j with us so that the often-diminutive drier parts, whereas the Downy tempered by a pleasant on-shore j fauna associated with the trees and species (B. pubescens) tends to breeze, seeing a somewhat tired j ground vegetation we passed was replace it in the wet. Pedun- The j looking Small Tortoiseshell “cruis- continuously spotted and examined. - culate Oak and the Sessile the latter j ing” beside us as we walked back to At one point a small cloud of Nem- a lover of shallow, sandy, acid soils - the cars probably summed up the j ophora degeerella enabled Stephen are both to be found and there are j delights of the day. We had to point out that the male has the some Turkey Oaks from southern ; recorded more than 90 species longest antennae of any British moth. Europe which are also fond of acid j of plants and over 50 species sands and therefore thrive, but unfor- of animals and the day was greatly j Thanks are due to Eric for organising tunately don’t produce good timber, i such an enjoyable and rewarding enjoyed by everyone present. We 1 New plantings of Larch are normally all extend our thanks to Bill Mitchell day. of the hybrid, Larix x marschlinsii who suggested the venue and made Stephen Martin. (first noticed growing in Perthshire in the initial arrangements but unfortu- 1904), rather than the European nately could not be with us. I also Larch with its yellowish twigs and thank Martin Collier for help with the Japanese Larch with its red. Of identification of the beetles and the poplars, the Grey (a hybrid of the comments on some of them and Aspen and the White Poplar but at Derek Howlett for comments on the least as old as the Bronze Age), is snails seen. Mike Hall George Garrard 1919-2005 Dr. Robert Jones 1919 -2005

Time rushes on and it comes as something of a shock to Dr Robert Jones - ‘Bob’, was bom in Cheshire in February note that George Garrard’s masterly paper on Ringmere 1919, one of three childrea He joined the Royal Airforce as was published thirty-five years ago in The Transactions an airman in 1939 and served in various theatres, being of The Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists’ Society elevated to Pilot Officer in Bomber Command for the entire Volume 22 Part 2. duration of the war. Those close to him knew that he endured many fearsome experiences (over and later in North and the Far East) but was unstinting in his duty. Did his music pupils at the school in which he served have any awareness of the dedication and time involved Near the end of the war he was posted to the Nutt’s Comer in what to them would have been a strange project? The airfield, near Belfast, for a much deserved ‘rest’. Here, he met biology students may have had some inkling of the his wife to be of 59 years, Betty, whom he married in 1946 ongoing, meticulous study but almost certainly had no

comprehension of the importance of the results. In the same year Bob started a degree course in Biology at Queens University in Belfast. With family help the couple

Ringmere and its surroundings have long been associ- bought and managed a traditional comer shop (in what were ated with mysterious changes in water level and conse- peaceful times in Belfast and elsewhere) which they lived over quently the nature of the adjacent vegetation. The whole to earn a living while Bob completed his degree course. of Breckland was at the time of publication in the middle In 1951, pursuing his ambition to teach, the couple moved to of a fundamental transformation. For some years it was Essex and later Nottinghamshire. Bob later accepted a position still possible to spend all day in recording the flora and as lecturer at Strathclyde University where he achieved a PHD fauna without seeing another human. Before that, during in 1968. The couple lived in Cardross, near Glasgow, during the long period of George’s record taking at Ringmere, this period before retiring to Norfolk in 1980. He died on 4 the isolation could be all the more marked. January 2005.

That period of study included the years of the near Dr Jones is survived by his wife Betty who lives in Potter elimination of the rabbit which previously had a Heigham. He is fondly remembered by his beloved wife and profound effect upon Breckland scene. The paper caring relatives in Northern Ireland and Australia. provides an invaluable insight into the influence of the Roy Baker recalls “Bob Jones became a familiar sight at the once ubiquitous rodent and the consequences of its Ted Ellis Trust reserve at Wheatfen in the 1990s. With his removal as well as the rise and fall of the waters. collecting bag, fine mesh net, small glass pipettes and collect- ing bottles he would wander off into the fens looking for water Mention George Garrard to inhabitants of Drayton and mites. When he first came to Wheatfen only one species of Taverham with any duration of residence and they water mite had been identified and in a short time he had immediately recall his services to Drayton as choir- increased the records to 24 species from nine families. These master and organist. Like the pupils, few knew of his included a species new to Norfolk. He would ask Derek contributions to our botanical knowledge. Hewlett and I to gather freshwater mussels for him and we would take them to his bungalow in Potter Heigham where they were kept alive in aquaria until he was ready to examine Some of his near neighbours knew him rather better and them for water mites. He made some very interesting were used to seeing him exploring the impoverished discoveries of mites in these freshwater mussels. Bob Jones fields behind his bungalow and the damp wood between was a national expert on water mites and was much admired the road and the railway track which was a keen in his chosen field of study. He will be sadly missed by his naturalist’s delight. Recently, story recently told to A friends in. Norfolk who used his freely given expertise in me told how a neighbour took him to see what was freshwater microscopy.” probably the last plover’s nest ever found on the rough ground before masses of houses filled in the area and the Tony Irwin recalls “He was very much one of the "old school" wood was decimated by the builders in the cause of of naturalists - passionate about his chosen field and modestly ‘tidiness”. George carefully marked the site and returned knowledgeable about others. He published a number of papers on the Norfolk hydrachnid fauna.” with his camera to begin a photographic record of the nest and its family, which was added to his considerable Selected Bibliography of R.K.H. Jones collection of slides. Pictures, however good, are second- 1985 Lebertia sefvei Walter, a most unusual water mite from hand experience and the loss of explorable habitat was a Holt Lowes. TNNNS 27(1):66 sad loss to such a practical naturalist. I felt a mutual 1987 Interesting water mites (Hvdracarina) from Breckland. friend summed up George most neatly and concisely. TNNNS 27(5):374 She said, “He was an interesting and an interested man.” 1991 A check list of Norfolk water mites (Hvdracarina) May we all be so remembered. TNNNS 29(1):27-31 Rex Haney 2000 Water mite infonnatioa TNNNS 30(l):28-29 Jitegheen Livermore 021 9 . '

Dr. Geoffrey Watts 1927-2005 THE SECRET OF THE BROADS

Geoffrey Watts, who passed away recently after a long illness, was a member Dr. Joyce Lambert 1917-2005 of this Society for over forty years. Since the early 1960s he lectured in biology to trainee teachers at Keswick Hall College of Education where his Dr Joyce Lambert, one of the extensive knowledge and drive enthused many students to take up natural Society's most distinguished history as a focus of their lives. On the annual marine field studies trips in th members, died on May 4 at the age to North the Peninsular in developed, March Devon and Gower Wales he of 88. Dr Lambert was, as the Daily and passed onto students, his wide expertise in identifying seaweeds and Telegraph obituary summed it up, relating their form and structure to their ecological needs. Many specimens "the botanist whose research he mounted onto cards for ease of identification. Later he extended this revealed that the Norfolk Broads work to studies of our native grasses. Many members will remember his were created not by nature but by theory, initially beautifully exhibited mounts which he showed to the Society on a number man". Her greeted with scepticism but soon proved to of occasions. His collection is now housed at the Gressinghall Museum. This be correct, was presented in her love of grasses included one famous trip across America by Greyhound bus presidential address to the Society where at every stop he would dash out to collect grasses for his collection. in April 1952 and published, The Americans saw him as an eccentric Englishman and he laughingly agreed updated with significant new data, with this description. in the Transactions for that year (Vol.XVII Part IV). In 1974 he completed his doctoral thesis at the University of East Anglia on the allocation of resources in perennial plants. This involved him sampling Dr Lambert, who for 18 years was vegetation at Holkham and Walberswick Nature Reserves and growing lecturer in botany at Southampton University, returned to Norfolk on experimental plots of grasses, plantain and clover. her retirement in 1979 to live in the house in Brundall that her grand- Geoffrey developed an interest in natural history photography where his father had built. Bedridden but eye for a good photograph came to the fore. In 1948 he was the photo editor retaining all her mental capacity, she of the Cambridge University Varsity magazine This interest led him, with spent her final years at Oakwood Bob Robinson, to initiate the photographic group within the Society so that House nursing home at Colney near colleagues could share technical knowledge and enjoy/criticise each others Norwich. work. This group remains very active to this day and is a tribute to these two pioneers within the Society. It is hoped that a full obituary, recalling her Broads studies, will in Transactions. Geoffrey was also the driving force behind the Society's detailed survey of appear the 2006 the Yare river valley through Norwich. He organised groups of experts ft week by week to visit parts of the valley and he brought the whole together in a report published in the Transactions which was used to guide both Norwich and Norfolk Councils on conservation and management of the valley. This organisational ability was used over twenty years ago to Would all contributors reorganize the constitution the Society it of and give a management please send your notes etc. structure of a Council and Sub-committees. Geoffrey became the first Chair- 'to the editor as soon as possible by October 1st, 2005 to the man of Council and guided it through its first three years. following address: Francis Farrow, ‘Heathtands; 6 Havelock Road, Geoffrey sang with various choirs including the Keswick Hall Choir, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8QD, or by email to; Melody, Acapella, Wymondham Choral Society and he founded the South [email protected] Norfolk Singers.

On retirement Geoffrey and his wife Elizabeth planted and developed a 5 acre woodland near their home in South Norfolk. This remains a legacy to his love of the countryside and nature which formed so much of his life. In July the family will be holding a memorial service to be followed by a walk around this wood so lovingly created by Geoffrey.

10